Extracurricular Scheduling – Are Your Kids Too Busy?
Does your son’s schedule look anything like this?
Monday: Band practice, school, soccer practice
Tuesday: School, karate
Wednesday: Band practice, school, soccer practice
Thursday: School, karate
Friday: Band practice, school, tennis lesson
Saturday: Soccer game, tennis match
Sunday: Church, go to friends, dinner with family, more church
Wow, I hope not! There are some very important things missing from that schedule. Where is the homework, weekday family time, relaxing, reading, eating, and being a kid? Does your child really want to be doing all those other things? All of them?
Tell the truth – were all of these extracurricular activities your idea? Yes, you only want what’s best for your child. It takes dedication. But seriously, who is the one dedicated here?
You child is 10 – he’s in the fifth grade – let him be a kid! These days children grow up way too fast. Don’t be in such a rush to hurry it along. During the elementary school years allow your child to be a child and to learn and grow at their pace. Don’t place too much pressure on them. Once they get to high school the pressure to achieve due to dreams of college will kick into overdrive.
Children really need only two main responsibilities: Being a kid and being a student. If they are over scheduled and over tired how will they ever be proficient in either?
Yes, extracurricular activities can have a very positive influence on your child’s development, but good grades and great family time can have just as much, if not more, of an impact. If you feel like you need to have something after (or before) school then let your child pick just one activity that he actually wants to do. This may not be the popular choice or what all the other parents are doing, but it is the wise choice. You job is to parent and by doing so you are going to equip your children for the future.
Make a commitment together as a family to limit activities and try parking the Mom Taxi in the garage for a bit. You may just be surprise at the results you see!
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2 Responses to “Extracurricular Scheduling – Are Your Kids Too Busy?”
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School Lunch Reform
Thankfully my son doesn’t have a busy schedule at all. There are only a few extracurricular activities he likes so that helps keep the schedule ‘calm’.
Tishia Lee’s last blog post..Do You Have a ‘to do’ List for Before…
My son is a little too young for any of these things but will be entering school soon, so I’ll keep all of this in mind. Thanks!
Julie@Momspective’s last blog post..Random Tuesday Thoughts-My Child, The Politician (Lord Help Me)